1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of locking tab releases and more specifically relates to a locking tab hold down device to release the locking tab on a pedestal seat so one person can remove the seat and pedestal on a boat.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many people use boats for recreation and/or work. Most boats have seating; some have bench seats and others may have pedestal seats. It may be desirable at times to remove the seating. When removing pedestal seats from a boat, it can be difficult to depress the safety tab while simultaneously pulling up on the chair. After several days of sitting on the chair, the seat can become stuck in the mount, making it even more difficult to pull out. If an individual is exerting force on the chair to release it from the mount, another person must be holding down the safety tab. Often there may not be more than one person available, causing the task to take longer. If an individual attempts to hold down the safety tab while also trying to pull up on the chair, they may strain a muscle in his/her back. A convenient tool that depresses the safety tab allowing a person to remove pedestal chairs single-handedly is desirable.
Various attempts have been made to solve the above-mentioned problems such as those found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,941,621 to Wolforth; U.S. Pat. No. 6,254,054 to Few; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,682,561 to Jentry. This art is representative of pedestal releasing means. None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the invention as claimed.
Ideally, a locking tab hold down should provide ease of use and, yet would operate reliably and be manufactured at a modest expense. Thus, a need exists for a reliable locking tab hold down system to release a seat locking tab and allow a person to remove a seat pedestal without help from another person and to avoid the above-mentioned problems.